Track handling apparatus for railroad tracks



Sept. 18, 1962 J. w. CHRISTOFF 3,054,359

TRACK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD TRACKS Filed Sept. 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l H R in NNM mw f wm mmv m% m \\m m M. Q.

Sept. 18, 1962 J. w. CHRISTOFF 3,054,359

TRACK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD TRACKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 Sept. 18, 1962 J. w. CHRISTOFF TRACK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD TRACKS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 Sept. 18, 1962 J. w. CHRISTOFF 3,054,359

TRACK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD TRACKS Filed Sept. 24, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 II! F T F T) E T fi R om\ QMQ QR, fr NQJQNQ o i \i m A T. J r wk. QM. QM 3% \\w in mm N- mt v9 Aw ENTER/(n United States Patent 015 3,054,359 Patented Sept. 18, 1962 3,054,359 TRACK HANDLING APP TUS FOR RAILROAD TRA KS James W. Christoif, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Mannix Co. Ltd, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,047 2 Claims. (Cl. 104-7) This invention relates to railroad track handling apparatus and more specifically to apparatus for elevating a section of railroad track and placing thereunder (or removing therefrom) an under-track device of the ballast sled or ballast plow type.

Ballast plows are employed for removing fouled ballast from a railroad roadbed. A plow is inserted between the roadbed and the ties to which the track rails are secured and is then towed along the track in this position by a locomotive. As the plow progresses, it raises the ties from the roadbed ahead of it, supports the ties and the rails secured thereto as the device passes underneath, and finally allows the track to settle back onto the roadbed or sub-grade behind the device. The weight of the ties and rails supported by the plow is considerable and the plow is therefore pressed firmly down against the ballast. By providing the plow with one or more scraper blades it is possible to separate either the full depth of ballast or a layer of ballast of chosen depth and displace this ballast to the side of the track beyond the ends of the ties, so that when the ties resettle, this displaced ballast can be readily removed.

Ballast sled devices are similar to lballast plows in that they are inserted between the roadbed and the ties and are towed along in this position by a locomotive. Sleds, however, are used either during the laying down of new track or to perform a reballasting operation following the pulling of a ballast plow in the manner just described. After the plow has removed the fouled ballast, or, in the case of a new track laid directly on the sub-grade, after the track has been so laid, fresh clean ballast is dumped onto the track to lie on top of the ties and rails. The function of the ballast sled is to raise the ties up to their desired level and distribute the ballast evenly beneath them. Subsequently, additional ballast will normally be dumped on the track between each pair of adjacent ties, this latter operation usually being carried out manually, since it does not require raising of the track.

A typical sled device of this type is illustrated in L. B. Franco US. Patent No. 2,769,172, issued October 30, 1956, and a typical such plow device is illustrated in L. B. Franco and J. C. Stein US. Patent No. 2,921,390, issued January 19, 1960.

Before such a ballast plow or a ballast sled (hereinafter referred to generically as an under-track device) can be pulledalong in the manner just described, it has to be inserted under the track. By the same token, after the operation is complete, the under-track device must be removed from beneath the track. This will require raising of the track so that the under-track device can be moved in from the side of the track to its required position beneath the track. Hitherto, this operation has been carried out by means of a number of individual lifting jacks positioned and operated manually by the track crew. Once the track has been elevated to a suificient height by this means, the under-track device is pulled under the track again by the application of manual power. When it is in position, the jacks are lowered to allow the ties to come to rest on the upper runners of the undertrack device. The reverse operation is carried out to remove the under-track device from beneath the track.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for carrying out this operation more conveniently and rapidly and with fewer personnel, and in particular to provide apparatus capable of elevating the track and simultaneously exerting the necessary lateral force on the under-track device to pull it under (or out from under) the track.

For convenience, the apparatus of the present invention which performs the functions just described is incorporated in the same structure with track aligning apparatus of the type illustrated in J. W. Christoff US. patent application Serial No. 777,389, filed December 1, 1958, to which reference is directed for a general description of the manner in which such track aligning apparatus may be used to cooperate with an under-track device to effect automatic alignment of the track as it resettles on the ballast or sub-grade rearwardly of the under-track device during a sledding or plowing operation.

The various features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows and from the appended claims. To support the description, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a general side view of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3a is a view of the left hand end of FIGURE 1 on an enlarged scale and showing the apparatus in track elevating position;

FIGURE 3b is a continuation of FIGURE 3a and shows the parts seen in the right hand portion of FIGURE 1 also in track elevating position;

FIGURE 4 is a section on IV-IV in FIGURE 3a;

FIGURE 5 is a central transverse section on the apparatus showing the same in track elevating position and further illustrating the pulling of an under-track device into position under the track;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but illustrating the removal of the under-track device from beneath the track; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but additionally showing the apparatus finally connected up to the under-track device for the carrying out of a ballast handling operation.

Referring firstly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus will be seen to consist of a main rigid beam 20 connected at its respective ends to a front cart 21 and a rear cart 22 and carrying a liner head assembly 23. The detailed structure of these carts and the liner head assembly is described and illustrated fully in said earlier application Serial No. 777,389, and will not therefore be repeated in the present specification since such details are not germane to the present inventive advance. Suffice to say for the purposes of the present specification that the front cart 21 consists of a flat framework 30 carrying a flanged wheel 33 at each of its four corners. A fixed disc secured to the framework 30 serves as a bearing for a superposed disc 36 mounted on a central stub shaft to rotate freely on the base disc about a vertical axis passing through the centre of the cart 21. Secured to the upper face of the disc 36 is a frame 37 upon which a pair of upstanding arms '52 are pivotally mounted. The frame 37 also carries a double acting hydraulic cylinder 43, the piston rod 46 of which is connected to the arms 52 to control the pivotal movement thereof (compare FIG- URES 1 and 7).

A transversely extending tubular yoke 55 is slidably mounted in a pair of sleeves 54 that are respectively mounted on the free ends of arms 52, such transverse motion being under the control of a handle 63. At each end, the yoke 55 is provided with a downwardly projecting extension in the form of a leg 64 terminating in a horizontal plate 65 which cooperates with a second plate 66 pivotally secured thereto to establish connection with the towing ears of an under-track device, as later described in connection with FIGURE 7. Centrally of the yoke 55 and between the two sleeve 54 there is mounted a further sleeve 69 which is normally fixed in position on the tubular yoke 55 both in respect of translation and rotation. The fixed sleeve 69 is pivotally connected by pin 73 to the forward end of the beam 20.

The rear cart 22 is generally similar in design to the front cart 21 although somewhat simplified. It consists of a framework 80 carrying flanged wheels 83 similar to the corresponding parts of the front cart. Upwardly projecting pivotally mounted arms 86 are interconnected at their free ends by member 88, the centre of which mounts a freely pivotable sleeve 100 to which the rear end of the beam 20 is pivotally connected by pin 102. Movement of the arms 86 is under the control of a double acting hydraulic cylinder 93.

At a point approximately two-thirds of the distance along beam 20 from the front cart 21 to the rear cart 22 (although this position may be varied asrequiredto suit the circumstances), there is mounted a liner head assembly 23. The assembly consists of a framework 122 carrying rectangularly disposed freely pivotally mounted rail-engaging wheels 132, 133, 134 and 135. The wheels 132 and 134 on one side of the device are mounted in fixed position while the wheels 133 and 135 on the other side of the assembly are mounted for adjustment towards the way from the first pair of wheels. Each of the wheels 132 to 135 is formed with a wide horizontally extending flange for resting on the upper surface of the head of a rail, and a shoulder for bearing against the vertical inside surface of the head of a rail. Framework 122 is free to pivot about a horizontal axis 117 as well as about a vertical axis defined by the piston rod 141 of a hydraulic cylinder 142 employed for elevating the linear head assembly.

Near each end of the beam 20 and firmly secured thereto by. frameworks 300 is a pair of lifting jacks 301, one such pair of jacks 301 being positioned just rearwardly of the liner head assembly 23 and the other pair near the forward end of the beam, somewhat rearwardly of the front cart 21. The individual jacks of each pair are spaced apart transversely of the beam 20 and are located by the frameworks 300 in laterally projecting positions to be disposed outwardly of the rails of the track. As can be better seen from FIGURES 3a, 3b and 4, each jack 301 consists of a ram 302 that can slide within a fixed tube 303. These ram and tube assemblies are of comparatively large diameter to afford substantial lateral stability. Associated with each of the ram and tube assemblies is a double acting hydraulic cylinder 304 secured to thetube 303 and having a piston rod 305 the outer end of which is secured to the outer end of the ram 302 which carries a foot plate 306 for contact with the roadbed; FIGURES l and 7 show the rams of the lifting jacks in their withdrawn position,

' while FIGURES 3 and 4 show them in their projecting,

4 lowered or operative condition in FIGURES 3 and 4. Each dog includes a hooked end portion 309 adapted to fit beneath the under surface of a rail. A chain 310 is used to secure each of the dogs 307 when in its inoperative condition.

On each side of the beam 20, approximately equidistant from the front and rear carts, there is secured a movable boom 311. The foot of each of these booms is pivotally mounted by a bracket 312 so that the boom is movable between a vertical stowed or inoperative position in which it is secured by a chain 313 and a horizontal or operative position in which it projects transversely outwardly from the beam 20 to a position substantially beyond a lateral edge of the track, that is beyond the ends of the ties as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. In this operative position, rigging cables 314 limit the downward pivoting movement of each boom, such cables being secured at their inner ends to a superstructure 315 mounted on the beam 20. A power operated winch 316 is provided, driven by a gasoline engine 317, such winch having two drums which have wound on them respectively cable 318 and 319 extending each to a block 320 secured to the end of a respective boom 311. As well as supplying power to the winch 316 the engine 317 operates a pump for generating hydraulic pressure for operation of the hydraulic cylinders 43, 93, -142 and 304 already described. Additionally, the front cart 21 is preferably fitted with a hydraulic motor 321 for driving at least one of the wheels 33 so that the whole apparatus can be self-propelled on a section of track when it is not in use or is being manoeuvred into position for use. Controls shown generally at 322 are provided for operation of the various instrumentalities by an operator who sits at 323.

When it is desired to place an under-track device beneath the track, the track elevating apparatus is brought to a position adjacent the under-track device which will have been prepositioned (as by unloading from a flat car) at the side of the track. The four rail-engaging dogs 307 are then lowered into position to grip the under sides of the two rails near the forward and rear ends of the apparatus. The four hydraulic cylinders 304 are then operated to force down the rams 302 of the lifting jacks and thus raise the track 160. This operation is continued until the track occupies the position seen in FIGURES 3 to 6 when it is elevated to an extent suflicient to leave enough space under the track for introduction of the under-track device 150 on the uneven bed of ballast 161 which the track has just vacated. The liner head asembly framework 122 is raised to its maximum elevation during this time (see FIGURE 3) to ensure that it does not engage the rails. The boom 311 on the side of the a paratus opposite to that on which the under-track device 150 is located is now lowered into its operative position as shown in FIGURE 5 and the cable 318 is secured to a cleat 159 provided generally centrally on the upper plate of the under-track device 150. The appropriate drum of the winch 316 is then engaged to tension and haul in cable 318 so that the under-track device 150 is pulled under the track to the required position.

The jacks are then slowly operated to move their rams to the withdrawn position causing the track to settle gently down on top of the under-track device 150. As soon as the jacks no longer take the weight of the track, the dogs 307 can be disengaged from the track, whereupon the operation is completed by securing dogs 307 and booms 311 in stowed position and fully withdrawing rams 302 upwardly. The apparatus is then moved rearwardly along the track to bring its front cart 21 approximately over the under-track device 150. Attention is directed to FIGURE 7. Plates 65 and 66 at the foot of each leg 64 are now clamped together over the respective towing ears 164 of the under-track device and are maintained in this position by a bolt and nut as sembly. When the apparatus above the track has thus been securely hitched to the device beneath the track,

cylinder 43 (whose rod 46 has been extended during the hitching operation) is operated to withdraw its rod 46 somewhat. This action has the efiect of attempting to pull upwardly on the legs 64 and hence on the undertrack device. The latter is not free to rise so that the true effect is a downward thrust on the front cart 21 forcing its wheels 33 into very firm engagement with the rails of the track. The amount of this pressure of the front cart .21 downwardly on the rails will be set to the desired value by control of the cylinder 43. A locomotive is now positioned to pull the under-track device 150 (which has been shown as a ballast plow) by cables 151 in the manner fully described in said application Serial No. 777,389, the apparatus above the track being drawn along with the front cart 21 remaining above the undertrack device. The liner head assembly 23 is now employed to perform the track aligning function which forms the subject matter of the claims of said application Serial No. 777,389, and of which no further description is believed necessary herein.

After the ballast has been plowed out and the undertrack device is to be removed, the boom 311 on the same side of the track as that to which the device is to be moved is lowered and its cable secured to the cleat .159. This operation is shown in FIGURE 6. The appropriate drum of the winch 316 is then engaged and the device drawn out.

It should be explained that under-track devices of the types now being used on mainline railroads comprise a substantial mass of metal and are consequently heavy and cumbersome to move. This particularly applies to the type of under-track plow referred to as a double track plow which deflects all the ballast to one side of the track. For descriptions of such plows, reference may be had to J. W. Christoff copending US. patent application Serial Nos. 668,483 (Patent No. 2,924,897) and 749,740, filed June 27, 1957 and July 21, 1958 respectively. These under-track devices are necessarily so massive that the line pull on the cable in drawing such a device under the track or out from under the track will typically be of the order of twelve tons. If a force of this order were exerted on a rigid structure of the size and weight of the present apparatus and which simply rested on the ground at four points, the feet of the jack rams, without any other stabilizing influence being present, the structure would immediately be tilted over. =In other words, such a structure could not exert so great a pull. The only way in which it could be made to do so would be by greatly increasing its mass which would clearly be most undesirable. The reason why such a tilting of the present apparatus does not take place resides in the holding down efifect of the track. Although initially the apparatus serves to raise and hold up the track, as soon as a heavy line pull is exerted on one of the cables, the effect on the side of the apparatus which would tend to lift as a result of such cable tension is that the weight and rigidity of the track in fact holds down such side of the apparatus.

011 the other hand, if such force, or even a very much smaller force were exerted laterally on the track itself, it would immediately be pulled out of alignment. No great force is needed to upset the track alignment, especially when it is raised out of the ballast.

Thus, the track elevating apparatus alone does not exhibit sufiicient resistance against tilting, while the track alone provides little or no resistance against local transverse movement (loss of alignment). Yet, together, the apparatus and the track provide a very stable combination which is resistant against both tilting and transverse movement, and which is thus able to exert the high forces needed to move an under-track device without danger of tipping over and without the disadvantage of setting up any misalignment of the track. The track and the apparatus thus combine to provide a result that neither alone can furnish even in part.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for elevating a section of railroad track and for dragging an under-track device transversely of said track between a position beside said track and a position centrally beneath said track, said under-track device being of the type constructed to be drawn along between the ties and the road bed while supporting a span of track, said apparatus comprising an elongated beam, cart means having rail-engaging wheels, said cart means being connected to said beam at longitudinally spaced-apart locations thereon for supporting said beam for travel along said track, a plurality of lifting jacks secured to said beam and each including a ram movable into an extended position for engaging the roadbed outwardly of the rails of the track for elevating said beam, said jacks being disposed in spaced-apart relation to one another in both the longitudinal and transverse directions of said beam, a plurality of track-engaging devices mounted on said beam in spaced-apart relation to one another longitudinally of said beam, each track-engaging device being movable between an inoperative condition in which it is disengaged from said track and an operative condition in which it engages said track to support the same beneath the beam when the latter is elevated, a boom mounted on said beam longitudinally intermediate said spaced-apart lifting jacks to be movable between an inoperative, stowed condition and an operative condition in which it projects transversely outwardly from the beam substantially beyond a first lateral edge of the track, power operated cable hauling means mounted on said beam and a cable in driven engagement with said cable hauling means and extending to the projecting end of said boom and thence beneath a section of track elevated by said jacks and track-engaging devices for connection to a said under-track device situated beside the other lateral edge of said track to exert a force on said device in the transverse direction of the track sufiicient to drag it into central position beneath said section of elevated track, said jacks being spaced apart sufiiciently in the longitudinal direction of the beam to allow the undertrack device to be moved between the jacks under the track.

2. Apparatus for elevating a section of railroad track and for dragging an under-track device transversely of said track between a position beside said track and a position centrally beneath said track, said under-track device being of the type constructed to be drawn along between the ties and the roadbed while supporting a span of track, said apparatus comprising an elongated beam, cart means having rail-engaging wheels, said cart means being connected to said beam at longitudinally spacedapart locations thereon for supporting said beam for travel along said track, four lifting jacks secured to said beam and arranged in pairs thereon, the jacks of each pair being spaced apart from one another transversely of the beam and the pairs being spaced apart from one another longitudinally of the beam, each said jack including a ram movable into an extended position for engaging the roadbed outwardly of the rails of the track for elevating said beam, four track-engaging devices mounted on said beam, each said track-engaging device being associated with and positioned in the vicinity of a said jack, each said track-engaging device being movable between an inoperative condition in which it is disengaged from said track and an operative condition in which it engages said track to support the same beneath the beam when the latter is elevated by said jacks, a pair of booms mounted on said beam longitudinally intermediate said pairs of jacks and situated each on a respective side of said beam, each such boom being movable between an inoperative, stowed condition and an operative condition in which it projects transversely outwardly from the beam substantially beyond a respective lateral edge of the track, power operated cable hauling means mounted on said beam and a cable in driven engagement 7 with said cable hauling means and extending to the projecting end of each said boom and thence beneath a section of track elevated by said jacks and track-engaging devices for connection to a said under-track device situated beside the remote lateral edge of said track or 5 under said track to exert a force on said device in the transverse direction of the track suflicient to drag it in one direction or the other between its two said positions beside or beneath said section of elevated track, said jacks being spaced apart sufliciently in the longitudinal 10 direction of the beam to allow the under-track device to be moved between the jacks under the track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

